Foodie 101 Series: Filipino Takeout
The Philippines is an archipelago consisting of more than 7,100 islands. Your mind may already be racing toward those clear aqua seascapes and white sandy beaches.
While Filipino food may not be as well known as those from nearby Asian countries, their dishes are rich, colourful and aromatic.
Rosette Samaniego, part owner of Coquitlam’s Kulinarya Filipino Eatery, gives the Foodie 101 on Filipino food.
Interesting facts about Filipino food
Filipino food is a blend of different influences from Spain, Southeast Asia and North America. Because the Philippines is geographically composed of many islands, each region has their own unique way of cooking the same dish, creating a different experience every time.
The diverse flavours from sweet, sour and salty dishes like adobo will give you a full sensory experience.
“The methods to make these dishes are diverse and require a lot of attention and patience. I am from a small town in Manila where fresh seafood is abundant, so growing up I only knew how to eat and cook the freshest ingredients,” said Rosette of Kulinarya.
“When I opened this restaurant, I made sure to source the freshest ingredients to achieve that traditional cooking the way my mom used to make it. Spices like Patis (fish sauce) sugar cane vinegar, calamansi (small green lemon) and banana ketchup are essential to Filipino cooking.”
Top 3 dishes
Here are three popular Filipino dishes to try.
1. Crispy Pata
This Filipino delicacy is a pork hock/leg that’s simmered with spices for three hours then refrigerated overnight and deep-fried. The meat is moist and succulent and the skin is golden and crispy. It’s served with vinegar, onions and a soy sauce mix.
2. Kare Kare
Kare kare is a beef and vegetable stew dish with thick peanut sauce and served with shrimp paste on the side.
3. Pork BBQ Skewers
This is a Filipino street food and often served at parties. Skewered pork slices are grilled and marinated in two main ingredients: sugarcane vinegar and banana ketchup.
How and where to order
Kulinarya Filipino Eatery is offering takeout as well as delivery through DoorDash Tuesday to Sunday from 5-9 p.m. They are now also open for Dine In, be sure to call ahead for a reservation.
Also check out Visit Coquitlam’s growing list of restaurants to choose from throughout Coquitlam.